


Santa Clause and the Spousal Clause

by Gemfae



Series: Gemfae's HD_Owlpost Contributions [11]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Santa Clause (Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-01 08:11:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16761316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gemfae/pseuds/Gemfae
Summary: Harry Potter, stopped believing in Santa Clause when he was five; why should he believe in someone who never brought him a present? So, when Harry's boyfriend claims to be Santa, he is, understandably skeptical. What follows is a journey from disbelief, to understanding, and maybe more.A Crossover/AU with The Santa Clause and Harry Potter.





	Santa Clause and the Spousal Clause

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheKnitterati](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheKnitterati/gifts).



> For TheKnitterati: The Santa Clause is one of the movies I enjoy watching every Christmas, and it was just begging me to write a Harry Potter AU. It was fun to write, and I hope you enjoy it!

December 26, 2010

Santa Clause woke up to a bright, sunny afternoon sky on Christmas Day. The night before had gone as splendidly as he could have hoped for, and he had fallen into bed, exhausted, at dawn. Santa whistled as he got dressed for the day ahead; Christmas Eve marked the beginning of his favorite time of the year, and he always woke up smiling on Christmas Day. Today, Santa would be leaving the North Pole for a month to visit his son.

As he stepped out of his room, prepared to spend a few hours going over next year’s assignments with the head of each department, Santa was surprised to see a familiar brown-haired elf.

“Bernard!” Santa greeted the somewhat-surly elf, who was wearing a red knit hat and a sweater with brightly colored stripes, “What are you doing here? Didn’t you retire?”

“I only partially retired,” Bernard was quick to correct, “There are no other elves ready to become your Number 1, so I still show up when I’m needed. Who knows what would happen if I left permanently. We need to talk, Santa; Curtis is waiting for us by your office.” Bernard turned on his heel without saying anything else, and Santa hurried to follow.

A few minutes later, Santa was settled in his office with Bernard and Curtis, the elf in charge of “Santa Clause’s Guide to the Santa Clauses”; a book that detailed every rule that existed for Santa Clause. Curtis had the book open to a certain page, and Santa sighed as he read the paragraph pointed out to him.

“Is it that time already?” He asked.

“Well, after hearing about the close call the previous Santa had, you said you wanted to start working to fulfill this particular clause early,” Curtis replied.

“The Mrs. Clause-”

“Spousal Clause,” Curtis interrupted Bernard, “It was changed five years ago to accommodate any future Santa’s that may not be interested in finding a Mrs. Clause.”

“Regardless of the name,” Bernard glared at the other elf, “This is a tricky clause. You have to get married within the first ten years of being Santa, which means you have to let someone in on the Secret of Santa. Before you can let someone in on The Secret, you have to-”

“Make sure they are trustworthy,” Santa interrupted, “Yes, I remember Bernard; we have had this conversation before. This is precisely why I wanted to begin searching early; it could take years for me to find someone to marry, and I really do not wish to give up being Santa. As usual, I will spend the next month with my son, before returning here for two weeks. After that, I shall spend two weeks a month away from the North Pole to begin dating, and I shall increase that time as needed when I find a potential partner. Are you and Curtis prepared to implement our plan for running the North Pole while I am away?”

“We are,” Bernard confirmed, “We have tested communications, and the link is stable no matter how far you are from the workshop. You can make the announcement at the meeting with the department heads today, and we will work with them to make sure all the elves stay calm.” Bernard glanced at the clock behind him and added, “Speaking of the meeting, we should head that way. Curtis will finish getting your transportation set up, and Judy will pack for you. Everything will be ready when you get out of the meeting, including the De-Santification Potion.”

“Thank you, Bernard,” Santa said, standing, “Curtis, I would prefer to take Crispin if he has passed all the tests. Comet may get upset, but I want the main team to rest after last night.”

“Understood, Santa,” Curtis replied, “Crispin passed the last test yesterday, so I’ll get him ready.”

Santa watched him leave, then turned to Bernard.

“Well, let’s go Bernard, before they drink all the cocoa.”

Two hours later, Santa stood in a small room near the stables. He had a small pack next to him, containing enough clothing for the next month as well as everything else he could potentially need. Crispin, his favorite reindeer, was standing nearby, excited to be leaving the North Pole for the first time. Santa smiled indulgently, as he picked up a vial of blue potion-the same potion he took every year before going to visit his son. Santa drank the potion in one go, grimacing at the taste, which was immediately followed by the feeling of his body changing; it was rather like the feeling of drinking Polyjuice Potion. He doubled over in pain as his body shrunk, his facial hair receded, and white hair darkened slightly.

When the stomach-turning feelings passed, Santa lifted his head, pink lips upturned in a smirk as grey eyes flashed.

** ** ** ** ** ** **

April 23, 2011

“…so that’s my real job, and the reason I can only visit for short periods of time,” Draco Malfoy finished his explanation, then looked at his date expectantly.

Harry Potter sat in the chair across from him in Malfoy Manor’s Sunroom, staring at Draco in quiet astonishment. Understanding that his revelation had come as a large shock to Harry, Draco gave the other man a moment to process; he used that time to admire the man sitting across from him.

At thirty years old, Harry didn’t really look much different than he had at Hogwarts; he still chose casual Muggle clothing over proper Wizarding attire, and he still had an easy grin and brilliant green eyes hidden behind round glasses. Thankfully, Harry had traded in the thick black glasses for a smart pair of gold wire-rimmed glasses, Wizard-made, which suited his face better. He had finally stopped slouching and trying to hide, and now a quiet confidence was evident in his manner. Harry was still fit, even though he had started taking less field assignments now that he was a father, and his Indian heritage showed through; his skin had a healthy glow that had been absent during their school days. Harry’s hair was still wild, but it no longer resembled a tangled bird’s nest; Harry kept his dark locks just long enough to be pulled back in a low ponytail. The added weight tamed his formerly unruly hair, which shone with rich blue and purple highlights in the afternoon sunshine streaming through the windows; never before had Draco seen someone whose hair was truly the color of a raven’s wing. Every time he saw Harry, Draco’s fingers itched to tangle in those raven locks, to see if the raven hair was as soft as it looked.

Draco was startled out of his thoughts when the man he had been contemplating started laughing. The raven-haired man threw his head back and laughed uproariously, clutching at his stomach as tears ran down his face. Draco gave him a puzzled smile; yes, he could see humor in the situation-he had certainly never expected to receive such an employment offer-but it wasn’t _that_ funny.

“That was brilliant, Draco,” Harry grinned, once his laughter had calmed down, “I nearly believed you! I can’t believe you said all that with a straight face.” He wiped the tears away, then asked, “How in the world did you come up with such a detailed story? Whatever your job really is, you should look into writing fiction.”

Draco frowned, drawing back in his chair and clutching his teacup so tightly that his fingers turned white.

“I acknowledge that I was probably not the expected choice to fill such a position,” Draco said stiffly, “but I assure you that this is not a joke. Three years ago, after Astoria and I divorced, I _was_ approached and offered the chance to become the new Santa Clause. I accepted and, after training for a year with the previous Santa, moved to the North Pole fulltime. I-”

“Okay, Draco,” Harry interrupted with a frown of his own, “It was funny at first, but now you’re getting ridiculous. Can you just drop the joke, so we can get going? I don’t want to be late for Teddy’s birthday party.” Andromeda had gotten permission for Teddy to come home for his birthday weekend; after the war, McGonagall had relaxed the rules about letting students go home for the weekends, so long as they had parental permission.

“What, exactly, do you find to be so ridiculous about me being Santa Clause?” Draco demanded.

“Well, let’s see,” Harry’s voice was heavy with sarcasm, “Aside from the fact that you aren’t a fat old man wearing a red suit? How about the fact that Santa Clause doesn’t exist?”

Draco’s scowl turned into an expression of shock.

“What do you mean, Santa Clause doesn’t exist?” Draco asked, brow furrowed in confusion, “Did you really think that all the gifts from Santa were actually given by your relatives? I can understand if you believed that before Hogwarts, as there is a type of Confundus cast on presents left in households with Muggle parents, but you should have been told the truth once you started Hogwarts.”

“What gifts from Santa?” Harry retorted, “I never received a single present from Santa, and I stopped believing in him before I was five.”

“I-” Draco broke off, not sure what else to say; how could Harry Potter, Savior of the Wizarding World, have never received gifts from Santa? How could he not believe in Santa? Obviously, he was going to have to do a little bit of research before he could approach this topic again. He glanced down at the enchanted watch on his wrist and nodded; he still had plenty of Christmas magic-in addition to his own magic-and his deadline was several months away, so he had time.

“I need to check on some things,” Draco finally said, “There are some things it seems you were never told, but it can wait; Teddy’s birthday is the important thing today.” He stood up and offered Harry his hand, and the other man allowed him to pull him out of the chair. “I will drop the subject for now, however, will you promise to listen to me with an open mind when I bring it up again? Aside from everything else I told you, I can assure you that Santa Clause is a real person.”

Harry gave him a narrow-eyed look of suspicion, before sighing and nodding.

“I’m going to ask my friends,” Harry said, “If they agree that Santa is real, I’ll listen to you.”

“That’s all I can ask,” Draco said, gesturing to the fireplace, “Shall we?”

Moments later, Draco and Harry found themselves bombarded by kids. Harry’s two boys, seven-year-old James and four-year-old Albus, were each hanging off an arm, while Draco’s own four-year-old son, Scorpius, was demanding a hug, and thirteen-year-old Teddy Lupin, Draco’s cousin and Harry’s godson, was demanding attention from them both. A laughing Andromeda took pity on the men and announced that it was time to play games.

A few hours later, after Teddy had opened his presents and eaten his cake, Harry found himself sitting with Ron, Ginny, Luna and Rolf Scamander, Luna’s husband. Harry watched with a smile as Draco helped Scorpius fly on a training broom, then frowned as he recalled his earlier conversation with the blond.

“So, this is going to sound like a really strange question,” Harry began, “Does Santa Clause exist?”

“Of course he does, Harry,” Ginny gave him a worried look, “The children get presents from him every year. Remember last year? The training wand for James and the flying dragon toy for Albus?” She looked fondly down at the two-year-old girl sleeping in her arms and added, “Lily got that unicorn plushie.”

“I remember the gifts,” Harry replied, “I just thought that you had bought them and signed Santa’s name.”

“Why would I do that?” Ginny asked, confusion in her brown eyes.

“My aunt and uncle always signed Santa’s name to presents for my cousin,” Harry said.

“Some of the gifts may have been from your aunt and uncle,” Ron spoke up, “but there’s a mild confundus charm on presents being left in Muggle household so that the parents don’t get suspicious. That’s probably what happened, although I’m surprised no one told you about Santa. I mean, knowing how your relatives are, you didn’t think they had bought your gifts from Santa too, did you?”

“I’ve never gotten any gifts from Santa,” Harry replied, “I can’t remember ever believing in him, and no one at school ever spoke about Santa either.”

“That’s because Santa usually stops giving kids presents around the time they start school,” Rolf told him, “Most kids don’t talk about it, because it’s normal to us. It is weird that you never received anything from Santa.”

“This is just too weird,” Harry said, “So Santa is real, and he just never left me any presents?”

“Perhaps the wrackspurts took them,” Luna suggested, “They like to take things that aren’t theirs. Did your cousin ever receive any gifts from Santa that were not something he would normally enjoy?”

Harry thought back to his childhood, and slowly nodded.

“I’m not sure,” Harry said, frowning thoughtfully, “I know Dudley got presents he didn’t like, but I don’t remember if any of them were from Santa.” He looked at Luna, and asked, “You think my relatives took my gifts from Santa and gave them to my cousin?”

“Wrackspurts are nasty, tricky creatures,” Luna said, “They like to take things from other people and hide them away in their nest. Do you think there is any cake left?” She stood up and wandered away without waiting for an answer, Rolf following after a moment.

“Are you alright, Harry?” A soft hand rested on his shoulder, and Harry found himself staring into the warm brown eyes of his ex-wife.

“I’m fine,” he said, “Still a little confused, I guess, but other than that…” He shrugged, “I’ve always known the Dursley’s weren’t nice people; this is just one more thing that they took from me. It’s nothing new, really.” Harry stood before his friends could reply, “I’m going to go check on the boys.”

As he walked away from his friends, Harry realized that he likely owed Draco an apology. Of course, just because Santa Clause was real didn’t mean that Harry believed Draco Malfoy was Santa Clause.

** ** ** ** **

May 6, 2011

It was two weeks before Harry got to speak to Draco again; the blond had owled Harry the day after Teddy’s birthday party to say that he had to leave for a job-related emergency, and he would return as soon as possible. Harry had received another owl just two days ago, asking him to meet Draco for dinner at the manor. Harry had countered with an offer to cook supper at Grimmauld Place, and Draco had accepted. They waited until after supper, when they were settled in the parlor, to revisit their previous discussion.

“I spoke to Ron, Ginny and Luna,” Harry told him, once he had poured them both a drink, “They convinced me that Santa Clause is real.”

“What did they say when you told them I was Santa Clause?” Draco asked.

“I didn’t tell them that part,” Harry admitted, “Santa Clause may be real, but I don’t see how you could be him. Santa has been around for centuries so, unless you’ve been using, I don’t know, some sort of youth potion, I don’t see how you can be him.”

“I already explained that last time,” Draco said patiently, “There have been multiple Santa’s throughout the ages; the first Santa was a Wizard, who later became recognized as a saint by Muggles-St. Nicholas. He was an orphan, raised by the Fae. When he became an adult, he wanted to make a difference in the world by bringing happiness to children, and several sprites decided to help him. With Fae magic, he was able to travel further than he could manage by himself, and they taught him to manipulate time. St. Nicholas had access to a Philosopher’s Stone, and lived far longer than your average Wizard; others grew jealous of his powers and longevity, so he and the sprites who followed him moved to what would become known as the North Pole. The sprites are what we eventually came to call Christmas Elves, and St. Nicholas became known by many different names in many different countries, but was eventually called Santa Clause by most.

When he finally grew tired of the life, St. Nicholas created a book of rules for being Santa Clause, then chose a successor. He passed his magic along to his chosen successor, and then vanished from history.”

Draco paused and then smiled at Harry.

“There are many others who accepted the role of Santa Clause throughout the ages,” Draco said, “I am just the latest in a long line, and I will not be the last. Now, let me give you proof that I am Santa, then I will answer your questions.” Draco reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, red velvet bag, which soon expanded. The blond reached inside, pulling out several gifts.

“I asked around and found a pile of presents that had never been delivered,” Draco told him, “These were all addressed to you, and I was told that there was a ward preventing the previous Santa from getting them to you. I am certain you know a spell to authenticate the age of these gifts?”

“Of course,” Harry replied, casting a spell all Aurors learned in training. There were twenty presents, with the earliest one being dated twenty-seven years ago. He used another spell to authenticate the signature, and it came back saying that the signature was authentic.

“Okay,” Harry said, voice a little shaky, “I’m starting to believe you, but it’s just so weird.” He looked up into grey eyes that were a light with curiosity. “I know you’ve changed from how you were in school-we both have-but…how can you be Santa Clause? I mean, where’s your beard?”

“I took a potion that returned me to my pre-Santa appearance,” Draco replied, “It is called a De-Santification Potion, and I invented it.” Draco said the last with pride, and Harry shook his head fondly, but the blond didn’t give him a chance to speak, “I do have something else that will help prove my story, if you do not mind coming with me to Malfoy Manor for a few minutes. Or, I suppose it can wait for you to open your presents.”

“While I want to see the presents, I think they can wait,” Harry said, “I mean, these were all gifts meant for a kid, and I’m definitely not one anymore. I’d rather see what you have to show me.”

“Then let’s go,” Draco stood up, and Harry followed suit.

A few minutes later, Harry was staring in awe at the creature standing on the front lawn at Malfoy Manor. It was a reindeer, pure white with bright blue eyes. Draco introduced him as Crispin, and Harry had been happily surprised when he was allowed to pet the reindeer.

“He likes you,” Draco commented, as he fit Crispin with a saddle and reins.

“He’s amazing,” Harry replied, laughing as Crispin nuzzled at his chest, “Sorry, buddy; I don’t have any carrots.”

“And he doesn’t need any,” Draco said, earning himself a glare from the reindeer, “He already ate; Scorpius has been feeding him all day. Ah, here we go.” Draco finished checking the buckles, and swung himself up into the saddle, then gestured for Harry to join him. Harry climbed up behind Draco and rested his hands on the blond’s waist.

“You might want to hold on tighter,” Draco said, “On Crispin!” Crispin shook his head, then took off at a gallop. Suddenly, Crispin gave a leap and Harry wrapped his arms tighter around Draco’s waist as they rose into the air.

“This is amazing!” Harry laughed, enjoying the feeling of the wind in his face. This was better than riding a Hippogriff or Thestral; the ride was much smoother. He leaned his chin on Draco’s shoulder, looking at the scenery below them. Draco dropped the reins, letting Crispin fly where he wanted, and placed one hand overtop of Harry’s hands clasped around his waist. Turning his head to the side, he raised his other hand and began pointing out constellations.

They flew for hours, not coming down until after midnight, when Draco had Crispin land in the garden behind Grimmauld Place. Harry conjured some carrots from the kitchen and cast a warming charm on the garden, before leading Draco into the house. Harry wrapped his arms around Draco’s neck and pulled him in for a kiss, which the blond eagerly returned, firm hands resting on Harry’s waist.

“Come upstairs,” Harry invited, drawing back a little, “Stay tonight. There’s enough room in the attic for Crispin so he stays warm-Sirius used to keep a Hippogriff in there.”

“I can’t,” Draco said regretfully, putting more distance between them, “Believe me, I would love to take you upstairs, but there are other things we have to discuss before we take that step.” Harry closed his eyes as Draco gently cupped his cheek and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. “I’m spending the day with Scorpius tomorrow, but we can meet for lunch Sunday?”

“It will have to be an early lunch,” Harry said, “I’m supposed to be at the Burrow early tomorrow evening; I’m helping Molly cook supper for everyone. You can come, if you want.”

“An early lunch works for me,” Draco agreed, “Here or at the Manor?”

“Ginny will be here with the kids,” Harry said, “So you can bring Scorpius over, if you want; then the kids can play together while we talk. Say, be here around eleven?”

“Eleven it is,” Draco said, leaning in to kiss Harry one more time, “Tell me, Harry; do you believe me now?”

“About being Santa Clause?” Draco nodded, and Harry smiled, “It’s going to take time for me to get used to all this, but I think I’m beginning to believe you.”

“Well, we have time,” Draco returned the smile, “I had better go home and get some sleep; I don’t want Scorpius to laugh at me for falling asleep in my ice cream.” Harry laughed, and gave Draco one last kiss, before walking him to the back door. He stood in the doorway and watched as Draco and Crispin rose into the air, vanishing from sight after only a few minutes.

As he closed the door and headed upstairs, Harry’s thoughts turned to the man who had just left. Draco was very different from the boy Harry knew in school. He could still be snarky and overdramatic, and he was still very much used to getting what he wanted, but now a kindness shone through. He was a wonderful father to Scorpius, and Teddy loved his Uncle Draco. Draco’s appearance had changed some as well-he was no longer as “pointy” as he had been in school; now his face was more angular…aristocratic. His hair was a pale gold, kept short and free of product-a lock of hair was constantly falling into his face-and his eyes were far more expressive than before. Harry couldn’t exactly see the man as Santa Clause, but he could see that Draco was a good man, who had outgrown his prejudices and overcome the expectations of his father. He was a man Harry liked and respected.

Draco Malfoy was a man Harry thought he was beginning to love.

** ** ** ** ** **

August 1, 2011

“So,” Harry began, setting down his glass of wine, “Will I ever get to see you as-you know.”

“Do you want to see me as Santa Clause?” Draco asked.

The two were in a private booth set in a warded alcove at an exclusive new restaurant in Celestial Ally, an offshoot of Diagon Alley that held shops and restaurants catering to the upper class. Draco had made the reservation so that they could celebrate Harry’s thirty-first birthday in privacy, since he had not been able to attend Harry’s party the night before. They had finished dessert but were loath to part-Draco was heading back to the North Pole after their date; he had only come down for one night, just so he could see Harry for his birthday.

“I think it might help,” Harry mused, “I mean, you’ve given me enough proof and I believe you are Santa Clause, but I still can’t picture it.”

“Well, we shall see,” Draco said, “If this works out in the long run, you will be able to see me as Santa. There are certain rules for revealing myself.”

“Why did you tell me your secret?” Harry asked, “I mean, we had only been dating for two months when you told me.”

“Mostly because I trusted you,” Draco told him, “You are the only person, aside from my parents, Astoria and Scorpius, who knows the truth. Besides, how could we have a relationship if I was constantly lying to you about my job?”

“True,” Harry nodded, “Alright, I have another question.” Over the past few months, Harry had begun asking Draco questions about the North Pole and being Santa; he was slowly learning about his boyfriend’s world, and he had to admit to being fascinated.

“Do you really have a list? And how do you know who is naughty and who is nice?”

“There is a list,” Draco confirmed, “And it actually gets checked several times before I even see it. In magical households, the House Elves monitor the children and send a report to the North Pole in November. Families that don’t have a House Elf cast a behavior monitoring charm, which updates the information on my list. Muggle families, however, are completely different.”

“There is a specialized surveillance team that monitors Muggle children. We use toys-for example, some of last years toys have surveillance spells on them. Before you say anything, we only monitor behavior; the charm doesn’t show video or anything like that, it just sends updates about whether the child that owns the toy has been naughty or nice. Recently, the Elf on the Shelf toy has been used to monitor the children’s behavior.”

“Huh,” Harry said, “So, since Kreacher passed away, I’m guessing Ginny must have cast the monitoring spell on our kids.”

“Most likely,” Draco shrugged, “I-”

“Excuse me, Santa?” Draco smirked as Bernard appeared behind Harry and found himself at wand point.

“Really, Bernard,” Draco chided, “What did I say about popping up without warning while I am here? Harry, you can put your wand away; this is the Head Elf, Bernard. Bernard, this is Harry Potter.”

“Sorry about that,” Harry said, not really sounding sorry, “I’m an Auror, so sneaking up behind me is really not a good idea.”

“Right,” Bernard said, “I should have remembered that. Really sorry to interrupt, but this is an emergency. We need you back at the North Pole.”

“What happened?” Draco asked, shaking his head to tell Harry, who was starting to stand up, that he didn’t need to leave, “You can speak in front of Harry; I trust him.”

“Well, Santa, it’s Jack Frost again,” Bernard said, “He has decided that he wants his own holiday, and he has caused a riot at the workshop. Curtis and I tried to stop him, but…well, Curtis is now frozen. I barely escaped.”

Draco gave an aggrieved sigh, closing his eyes and asking any entity listening why he was the one who had to deal with Frost’s temper tantrums.

“Sorry, Harry,” Draco said, opening his eyes to see green orbs filled with worry, “I had better go straighten this out. Jack Frost in a stop can cause a lot of damage.”

“I understand,” Harry assured him, “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Not this time, Savior,” Draco teased, earning a glare from his boyfriend, “Every so often, something sets Jack off and he causes chaos. The only thing that can fix it, is a warm hug from a child. Scorpius will be thrilled to visit again, although I expect Astoria will be less than pleased.” He turned to Bernard, “Wait outside a minute?”

“Sure thing, Santa,” Bernard agreed, “Just don’t take too long. None of this will matter if Jack destroys the North Pole.”

Once they were alone, Draco circled the table, and Harry stood up to meet him. Draco carded his fingers through thick raven tresses-it was even softer than it looked-and pulled Harry in for a slow, sweet kiss.

“I’ll try to visit again soon,” Draco promised, as he pulled away.

“Okay,” Harry replied, then hesitated a moment before asking, “Will I ever be able to come visit you? Or is there a law against it?”

“I can only bring people up in certain circumstances,” Draco said, “Next time we meet, we can discuss it-and I will tell you the reason I decided to start dating now.” He gave Harry another quick kiss, then whispered in his ear, “I love you, Harry.”

“I love you too, Draco,” Harry replied, beginning to lean in for another kiss; they were interrupted by the sound of someone pointedly clearing their throat, and Harry stepped back with a soft chuckle. “I guess you had better go settle your riot.”

“It seems I have no other choice,” Draco agreed, “I’ll see you soon, Love.” Draco briefly touched Harry’s cheek, then turned and left the alcove. As the blond walked away, Harry heard him ask:

“So, Bernard; what set him off this time? Please tell me it wasn’t Curtis again.”

** ** ** ** ** ** **

August 20, 2011

“…and if I don’t, then I stop being Santa Clause,” Draco looked at Harry expectantly once he finished explaining about the Spousal Clause.

“That’s why you told me about being Santa?” Harry asked, “Because you need someone to marry you?” He was frowning, and Draco immediately knew what he was thinking.

“Yes, I started dating because I eventually need to get married,” Draco said, “However, I still have nearly seven years before then. I started early because I was not sure how long it would take me to find someone I trusted, and whom I would be willing to spend the rest of my life with. Believe me, Harry, I never would have told you the Secret of Santa if I didn’t trust and care for you.”

“Oh,” Harry said quietly, then gave Draco a grin, “If that was a proposal, you suck. I mean, the words were nice and all, but you kinda forgot the ring, and you never actually asked.”

“How silly of me,” Draco got up from his seat-they were sitting on a bench in the gardens at Malfoy Manor-and pulled a black velvet box out of his pocket before kneeling in front of Harry.

“Harry James Potter,” Draco began, “We have known each other since we were children. You have seen me at my best, and at my worst. After getting to know you over the past several months, I have begun to realize that there is no one else I would rather spend my life with. Harry, will you marry me?” He flipped the box open, revealing a gold signet ring set with a single blood-red ruby. Harry was relieved it wasn’t some dainty little engagement ring; he might have had to hex Draco. Instead, Harry had no qualms when he let Draco slide the ring on his finger.

“Yes,” Harry said, “I’ll marry you, Draco Malfoy.” He drew the blond into a kiss. He broke away after a moment to ask, “What about the kids?”

“Astoria has access to the North Pole at any time,” Draco replied, “I will extend the same courtesy to Ginerva. The kids will all have their own rooms, and you can continue the current custody arrangements you have. Now, _when_ will you marry me?” Harry laughed, shaking his head.

“Well, we should probably tell the kids first,” Harry said, “If everything goes well…how do you feel about getting married on the Winter Solstice?”

“I think that’s perfect,” Draco smiled, “That gives us plenty of time to prepare, and time for my father to recover from the heart attack we are about to give him. Fancy seeing the Malfoy Chateau in France?”

Harry laughed again, letting Draco pull him to his feet and into his arms. Draco leaned in to kiss his fiancé, tangling his fingers in that thick, silky hair to keep Harry from pulling away. Draco’s other arm was around Harry’s waist, and the blond concentrated on his destination, using a little Christmas Magic to give his Apparation an extra boost so he could take them all the way to France.

When they arrived, still locked in a heated embrace, Lucius Malfoy gave a strangled cry and then fell out of his chair, having fainted dead way. Narcissa, however, just smiled at the two men, and levitated her overly dramatic husband out of the room. The newly-engaged couple didn’t pay them any attention, lost in the magic of the moment.

** ** ** ** ** **

December 22, 2011

“This place-it’s amazing!” Harry breathed, leaning over the side of the sleigh, only to feel a strong hand pulling him back.

“Honestly, Harry,” Draco shook his head, “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

“I wasn’t going to fall,” Harry rolled his eyes, “I was just trying to see-well, everything. I’ve never seen anyplace so beautiful!”

It was after sunset on the Winter Solstice; Harry and Draco had their wedding-or, more accurately, their bonding ceremony-earlier that morning. After celebrating with family and friends, the two had climbed into the waiting sleigh-it was just big enough for two people, and light enough that it could be pulled by one reindeer-and Crispin had taken flight.

After three hours of flying, they finally reached the North Pole, and Harry was enthralled by the purity of the place-the snow was a perfect blanket of white, glowing in the light of the moon. He could see dark shapes in the distance that he thought to be mountains, and the whole place was unspoiled by human habitation. As Harry watched, a section of the ground moved, and Draco directed the sleigh inside the new opening.

The new view was even more amazing than before; they had entered the true North Pole, and it was a vibrant hub of activity. Elves were bustling to-and-fro, carrying toys, papers and building materials. He saw several groups of elves playing in the snow-having snowball fights, building snowmen and ice skating. Brightly colored Christmas lights were everywhere, and there was a Christmas tree in every square. The elves below waved and called out greetings when they saw the sleigh, and Harry marveled at how happy everyone seemed.

Harry was almost disappointed when Crispin landed and pulled the sleigh inside a stable, but then he glanced at Draco and saw the heated look in those grey eyes.

“I had Bernard tell everyone we would greet them tomorrow night,” Draco said, “I thought I could spend tonight showing you our room.”

“Oh? Will it take all night for you to show me around the room?” Harry asked with faux innocence, and Draco nodded.

“Indeed, it will,” Draco told him, “There is one portion of the room, in particular, which will be very time consuming.”

“Well then, we should get started,” Harry said, jumping down from the sleigh, and waiting for Draco to follow. The blond took his hand and Apparated them to a large room. Harry got a brief impression of bright colors, before his attention was captured by Draco’s lips on his, and insistent hands pulling at his dress robes. What followed, was a purely magical night, and the beginning of a wonderful life together.


End file.
